


the parent-teacher conference

by wubling



Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders - RPF
Genre: Awkwardness, Children, Education, Falling In Love, Getting Together, Human AU, I mean probably idk if I'll revisit this or not, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mild Language, One Night Stands, One-Shot, Parent AU, Teacher AU, alcohol mention, hangovers, kid thomas, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-20 16:39:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13721763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wubling/pseuds/wubling
Summary: With his luck, Logan finds himself in the worst possible position: drunk, taken home by a stranger, then finding out that said stranger is actually the father of one of your students.





	the parent-teacher conference

**Author's Note:**

> What's with me writing Thomas as a little kid in my AUs? Good question. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> I've been taking a bit of a break from Camp Sanders just to keep my writing motivation going but it won't be abandoned! I do have some done, I promise! Until then, I'll try to post another one shot or two. 
> 
> I actually wrote this awhile back and just didn't finish until now. I did some editing, but I'm not sure if its quality is any different than normal, so hopefully y'all like it!

Going out to his coworker's party on a school night? Not one of Logan's brightest ideas.

  
These were the first thoughts going through his head when he first woke up. He tried to snuggle farther underneath the bed sheets as he reached around for his phone. Grabbing it, he checked the time. He still had two hours before he had to be at the school, but he also realized that this was not his phone. He slowly put it back and looked around. This was not his bedroom. This wasn't even his home.

  
Logan's room was very minimalistic in nature - some books here, a chair there, a small bed, a desk - and it was all in a simple gray and white color scheme. This room was far from any of those things. The bedsheets alone were enough to exacerbate his headache, now that he was looking at them. Why would someone want yellow in their face so early in the morning? It was an alarming color to say the least.

  
Beyond the bedsheets, the walls were pastel blue with a few childish drawings posted on them. There was a computer desk, far smaller than his own, and the swivel chair was covered in his own clothing. It wasn't until he was criticizing the annoying buzz of the air conditioner when he processed what he'd seen just then.

  
If Logan's clothes were all the way over there...no wonder he was so cold.

  
"Wonderful," Logan grumbled to himself. He rolled over, not very surprised to find another person beside him, though he certainly wasn't happy about it. Elementary school teachers weren't supposed to go to bars and be picked up by cute strangers! They were supposed to grade papers! They were supposed to drink coffee and complain about their flooded e-mail account!

  
The stranger began to stir a bit. Logan tensed up, waiting for a sign that he could go. Though he heard a soft (admittedly adorable) voice mumble, "Stay...?", it was immediately followed by light snores. They had fallen back asleep. So began Logan's trek back home, where he would have to prepare for a hungover day of work.

  
Hell, it was parent-teacher conference day too, wasn't it? Logan groaned a bit as he wrestled on his pants. He was screwed.

* * *

 

A young boy woke up an hour and a half after Logan's departure. He was exhausted and frustrated with the loud alarm clock that was practically screaming at him. He quickly rolled over and pressed snooze. Unbeknownst to him was the fact that his guardian was already up and dressed. It didn't take long for the smell of pancakes and bacon to waft throughout the small home. _Now_ the boy was awake.

  
"Thomas!" his dad called from the kitchen. "Gotta get ready! Big day today!"

  
As Thomas stumbled into the kitchen, he shook his head fondly. "Just a normal school day, Papa," he mumbled.

  
"Nope! Open house day! Take-your-parent-to-work day!"

  
Thomas giggled, sitting at the table. "They're called parent-teacher conferences. And I don't go to school at night time. That's when it is...right?" He licked his lips as Patton piled his plate high with food.

  
"Hm...Guess you're right! Oh well! Still pretty cool! I can't wait to talk to your teachers, I'll bet they have nothing but good things to say!" As Patton said this, he noticed Thomas sliding down in his chair a bit, suddenly pausing the wolfing down of his pancakes. "...Thomas, is something wrong?"

  
The child shrugged, clearly embarrassed. "Well, like...my grades are good, I guess. Well, my math grade is...not bad, but not good either, so..." He played with his fork a bit, pushing the syrup around the plate. "I kinda hoped you wouldn't see my math teacher. I think he'll be mad about it."

  
Patton shook his head and knelt down so he could ruffle Thomas's hair. "Sweetie, what are you at, a B-? C+?" Thomas slowly nodded. "There's nothing wrong with those grades! Nothing wrong with aiming high, but there's nothing to be ashamed of either! If you're doing your best, that's as much as you need to do," he declared, standing back up. "And I'll tell your teacher that if I need to. Is that alright, champ?

  
Thomas grinned wide, but had a slight blush in his cheeks. "Thanks, Papa."

  
"Don't mention it, kiddo. Now hurry up and finish eating! You've got a bus to catch!"

* * *

 

That night, around seven o'clock, Logan was attempting to straighten up his desk. He was used to frustrated parents, but few ever shoved files off of his desk and had to be escorted out by security. Though a bit shaken, Logan didn't let it deter him. A bad egg or two within the whole group of parents didn't mean the whole open house event was ruined. As long as he could get a few good conversations in, help at least one parent get their child to their full potential...

  
"In here, Papa!"

  
Logan turned to check who the 7 o'clock appointment was, smiling in relief at the name written down. He saw Thomas, one of his sweeter and more well-behaved students, barge in with a parent trailing behind him. As soon as Thomas's dad walked in though, Logan's face went white and he decided that the night was ruined after all.

  
"O-Oh...you're..."

  
Patton seemed to recognize him for a moment, but quickly pushed it aside and walked up to the desk. "Mr. Dodson, right? I'm Patton, Thomas's father. It's very nice to meet you."

  
_'Oh lord. This is the man. Your student's father is the one you woke up next to. He's the one you had drinks with at the bar. He's the one you pushed onto the bed and-'_

  
Logan shook those thoughts from his mind. "Y-Yes. Apologies, I'm a tad out of sorts. We, erm...had an incident with the last meeting," he explained. Part of him was glad for that incident now - it gave him a decent excuse for his shakiness.

  
Patton smiled sympathetically. "I saw them on my way in. Seemed like one tough customer!" he added, laughing. Logan nervously laughed along, despite not finding it particularly funny.

  
"Yes, well...you two can have a seat."

  
Logan was just barely able to keep himself together for the discussion. He mentioned Thomas's grade, mentioned that he could perhaps apply himself a bit more, but he gladly agreed that having an average grade wasn't the end of the world, especially when the student is still so young. (With the glare he got from Patton, he wouldn't have been able to argue whether he wanted to or not.) Thomas was delighted. Though, as children do, he eventually got bored. When he checked the digital clock and saw that the meeting was only half over, he gave Patton's sleeve a light tug.

  
"And I'm sure that the new homework would be helpful for- oh, what is it, kiddo?" Patton asked.

  
Thomas frowned. "Can I wait outside?"

  
"Oh, uh...Mr. Dodson?"

  
Logan adjusted his glasses. "Of course. This conversation is mostly for the guardians anyway," he explained.  
Patton nudged Thomas off the chair. "You can sit in the hallway if you want! Just don't cause any trouble, got it?"

  
"Yes Papa!"

  
With Thomas out of the room, Logan felt his heartbeat quicken again. "Erm...well, as I was saying, I try to give an appropriate amount of assignments based on-"

  
"Logan, can we talk for a minute?"

  
The use of his first name shook him. "Ah...were we...not already talking?"

  
Patton giggled a bit. "Yes, I guess so. You know that's not what I mean though." Logan gulped, nodding. "You...You're not happy about it, are you?"

  
"About what?"

  
"Don't play dumb, okay?" Patton begged. "We can discuss this like adults! I'm not scary, I promise. I'm just some silly guy that somehow convinced you to come over last night."

  
Logan rubbed his eyes. "Ugh...I suppose, yes." He leaned back and suddenly looked far more tired than before. "I've never done something like this before. Especially not while I've been employed here. _Certainly_ not with the guardian of a student."

  
"It's not like you knew!"

  
"I suppose, but...it isn't only about who I did it with. I've never been one to get drunk and hook up with people. I'm surprised at myself."

  
Patton grinned. "It's never too late for self-discovery!" He chuckled and stood up. "I believe the meeting time is almost up! It's been nice speaking with you about my little guy and um...if you ever...well, if you're still around after Thomas moves on to junior high then..."

  
Logan lightly touched his chest. His heart hadn't slowed down yet, but he suddenly felt more happy than nervous. "I-I believe your number is still in my contacts."

  
"Yeah, that." Patton laughed as he raised his hand to his head in a phone-like motion. "And even if it's not about that, feel free to give me a call," he insisted.

  
"I'll...keep it in mind. Goodbye, Mr. Sanders."

  
"Goodbye to you too, Logan!"

  
Before that night, Logan never would have imagined he could feel giddy as a teenager. He thought he would never have to deal with the emotions of having a hopeless crush. But as he watched Patton go outside to reunite with his son, as he watched Patton leave, he covered his cheeks with his hands and prayed for the burning blush to go down before his next appointment.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Kudos would be very much appreciated and if you leave a comment, I'll be forever in your debt.


End file.
